Presently: A term like several others much abused and profanely used in modern parlance; at times purposely misused by persons aspiring to be in the limelight in politics, possibly in the hope of obtaining some transient popularity and possibly gain lucrative advantage.
Two cases: About the time of our first attempt at Self-Government there arose a tycoon whose English father, a British naval officer, married a native of lineage. He held interests in a newspaper promoting and exalting everything that was British, but with a particular predilection for the Conservative Tories, The Crown and the Establishment. He promoted what later came to be known as the Progressive Constitutional Party, which proved to be not that originally Progressive or that remarkably Constitutional, as it advocated that we should quietly accept the crumbs occasionally granted us by a parsimonious Whitehall.
In recent times, amid much fanfare and promise, we’ve witnessed what seemed the meteoric development of a person, the man of the moment, a champion of the people and who, above all, appeared progressive, capable of bringing about the much desired changes. A person who was to put a definitive end to corruption and rumours thereof; with time at his disposal running out and delivery of same not yet in sight; it seems that he’s heading for stormier waters, as it is highly unlikely, unless he goes for the ultimate honourable thing, that he’ll reverse the tide.
So, quite evidently, the adjective progressive must be earned over the years and cannot be a self-assumed badge, label or title of short duration.
Why: There seem to be only good, solid reasons favouring a disposition to acquire a healthy progressive frame of mind. Consider the following statements which turn out to be more than bumper-stickers, but, on the contrary, may serve as valuable guide-lines: [1] Yesterday is to learn from, Today is to live in, Tomorrow is to plan for! [2] The further back you can look, the further forward you are likely to see! [3] The practice of imagination is a subversive activity; hence the practice of historical imagination keeps alive the possibility of a Future which is not a continuation of the Present! [4] Many small people, in small places, doing small things, can change the world! [5] The Sun is rising ahead, the Past left behind, the only task worthy of our efforts is to construct the Future!
What it takes: Being progressive is all about having a positive and healthy attitude towards life. A scientific approach will go a long way for a factual analysis to assess the viability and wisdom behind a proposal or hypothesis; hence facilitating the drawing up of worthy conclusions.
Being progressive is all about having a positive and healthy attitude in our world which is in a constant flux of renovation; once, fear in the darkroom where negatives are developed!
If acquired in the formative stage, possibly in the early teens, such ability will most likely serve one well throughout one’s life. On the other hand, once the opportunity to be forward looking and enterprising is missed, not much can be done to alter one’s perspective; which is bound be become even more fossilised.
A Progressive stand, as opposed to the defensive stance of the opposite camp, favours a greater knowledge of one’s place in the order of things and hence is bound to help one find one’s place in history, even though minuscule as it might turn out to be. One should always keep in mind that we either shape our future or our future shapes us!
A progressive, healthy and positive attitude makes for a sense of purpose, continuity and direction; makes for a deeper sense of solidarity; makes for boldness, since opportunity and risk often knock together and life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage; makes for self-confidence, once perseverance and determination alone are omnipotent; makes for order, discipline and consequently success, since we’re only human and disorder is our worst enemy. Moreover, it safeguards against bigotry!
A Progressive, healthy and positive attitude favours serious dialogue with a view to reconciliation or at least reaching a working arrangement; regrettably, this is in sharp contrast to our Parliament, which presently is at an all-time low!!
What it surely ain’t: Being Progressive has nothing to do with rendering oneself cheap by fomenting hatred, conflict and racism, by passing outrageous, unwarranted and not-so-smart disparaging comments.
Being Progressive has nothing to do either by wearing shabby trousers with holes, or sporting a peak-cap back to front, or sporting a quite useless tapestry of tattoos and a variety of other self-inflicted mutilations, or having an eccentric hair-do dyed in some weird and unnatural colour to be considered with the pace-setters for poor tastes, in conformity with the rest, that is to say, in the same quagmire!
Being Progressive has nothing to do with giving in and accepting the cheeky demands of some boisterous minority group when such claims are known to have had, where and when ever experimented, disastrous consequences with long-term repercussions on the social fabric, to the greater detriment of all and sundry!
A recommendation: Therefore, in order to be classed as a Progressive, a worthy reformer requires: [1] the ability to analyse matters independently and impartially, a follower mind-set will not do, [2] sift all the information available and identify the major elements at work, as ignorance or lack of adequate address of some fact might prove fatal, [3] weed out and expose all bias, mistaken notions and misconceptions, [4] combat the tendency to do anything but the ‘accepted’ for fear of losing favour with one’s sponsors.
Ramon Borg-Bartolo
Sliema